Instrument for probing the reticulum



July 10, 1956 J. A. MUFFLY INSTRUMENT FOR PROBING THE RETICULUM FiledAug. 16, 1955 INVENTOR ATTORNEY nited States Patent INSTRUMENT FORPROBING THE RETICULUM James A. Muiily, Lewisburg, Pa.

Application August 16, 1955, Serial No. 528,752

7 claims. (c1. 12s- 356) I quently swallow pieces of bailing wire,roofing nails and n other sharp metal objects which may be present in orwithin easy reach of their feed, or strewn about their pasture. When theanimal regurgitates the content of its rumen for chewing, the metallicobjects in most instances do not pass upward into the mouth affordingthe animal the opportunity of rejecting them. Instead, the metal objectsor hardware pass into and lodge in the reticulum, and seldom passthrough the remainder of the digestive tract of the animal. Thereticulum is located to the right, below and anterior of theesophageol-gastric opening. It is a chamber in front of the rumen,partially separated therefrom by the rumino-reticular fold. In thereticulum the hardware may be dissolved in time by the stomach acids,but where the collection of metal is large, this is highly improbable.In most instances the hardware causes inflammation of the stomach,referred to as traumatic gastritis. More serious, however, is the dangerthat the sharp metal will pierce the walls of the reticulum, withresulting abscess, and work its way through the diaphragm, piercing thepleura, or the pericardium and ultimately the heart, causing suddendeath. It has been conservatively estimated that cattle valued atbetween one and two million dollars die each year as a result ofhardware disease in the United States alone.

The symptoms of the disease are easily detected by the veterinarian, themost important being failure to take feed, loss of weight, gruntng,arching of the back and treading lightly on the front feet. The presenceof metal in the stomach may be confirmed by any of several availablemetal detectors. Heretofore, the only effective treatment has been arumenotomy, a difiicult surgical operation. For various reasons, not theleast of which is the remoteness of the stricken area from the incision,surgical techniques, while usually successful, are costly. The cost ofsurgery to the small farmer is very often prohibitive, and for thisreason many sick cattle go untreated. Until this time attempts to enterthe reticulum by way of the esophagus, thus eliminating the necessityfor surgery, have not been too successful. The apparatus for suchtreatment heretofore has been unduly complex and of limitedeffectiveness.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide aninstrument of magnetic character for removing magnetic objects from thereticulum without surgery. It is another object to provide an instrumentof the character described for introduction into the reticulum by way ofthe esophagus.

l ice In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of an instrument, with sections, thereof cutaway, incorporating the features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation of an instrument being withdrawn up theesophagus (not shown) also with sections thereof cut away, incorporatingthe features of another embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is an elevation of an instrument illustrating the flexible endportion in position for inserting the magnet over the rumino-reticularfold from the rumen to the reticulum.

Figure 4 is a section on the lines 4-4 of Figure 2 illustrating thegeneral configuration of the skirt of the instrument of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figures l and 2 it is seenthat these embodiments of the invention are not dissimilar. Essentially,the instrument comprises a tube having a body portion 6 of sufficientlength to permit access from in front of the mouth to the rumen of theanimal to be treated. This tube has a flexible end portion 7. In Figuresl and 2 it will be observed that the end portion 7 is of differentmaterial from the body 6 of the tube. However, in Figure 3 the tube isof unitary construction, being of flexible material. In most instancesthe body 6 is fairly stiff and is desirably curved to conform generallyto the esophagus. This portion of the tube may be metallic, but if so,it should be capable of conforming to the curvatures encountered inoperation of the instrument, for example, body 6 could be flexible steelor other metal in the form of a spring. Generally, however, the body ofthe tube will be a fairly rigid hard rubber or plastic. The end portion7 is constructed of much more flexible material, for example, a softplastic such as polyethylene, capable of being drawn into a U, butsuflicientl'y elastic to reassume an elongated aspect. In the embodimentof Figure 3, the entire tube should have the characteristics abovedescribed for the end portion 7.

Referring again to the composite tube of Figures l and 2, end portion 7is positioned adjacent body 6 about bushing 8. The end portion 7 is heldin fixed position by shrinking upon bushing 8 which is driven into body6, or both body and end portion may be affixed rigidly to bushing 8 asby screws 9. When end portion 7 is of soft material it is desirable toprovide at its terminal end a bushing 11 or other suitable means toafford rigidity and thus' reduce wear. End portion 7 is perforated as at12 adjacent body 6 to permit passage of control line 13. In Figures l'and 2 the end portion 7 is again perforated at 14 adjacent its terminalend to receive control line 13, which terminates adjacent perforation 14as at knot 16. In Figure 3, control line 13 terminates exterior of thetube beneath rigid clamp 17. For most of the remainder of its lengthcontrol line 13 lies within body 6 and is attached at its free end totensioning means illustrated as ring 18. Control line 13 is preferablyof non-magnetic material, as copper wire, so as not to interfere withthe proper functioning of the instrument. It is desirably a non-metalliccordage line, for example, nylon.

A retrieving line 19 of length greater than the length of the tube ispositioned within said tube and is freely movable longitudinallytherein. A magnet 21 is affixed by suitable means, illustrated as 22, toone end of retrieving line 19 adjacent the terminal end of end portion7. Magnet 21 4is preferably elongated with one of its ends adjacent theterminal end of the tube, and of diameter greater than the internaldiameter of the terminal end of the tube. Retrieving line 19 isnecessarily of stiff, fairly rigid material as wire rope.

Turning now to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 2,a skirt 23 of thin durable material is positioned near the terminus ofend portion 7 forward of the end of control line 13, with its waist 24about bushing 11. In Figure 2, the skirt is maintained in position by apiece of tubing it() driven onto bushing 11. in another modification,the Waist 24 is similarly positioned about the exterior of end portion 7and maintained in fixed position by a ring clamp thus eliminating tubing10.

The purpose of this embodiment of the invention is to assure protectionagainst rupture of the esophagus when removing sharp pieces of metalfrom the animals stomach. To this end, skirt 23 is desirably, althoughnot necessariiy, cut from rubber or rubber-like synthetic stock of athickness approximating 32 gauge. The requisite thickness of the skirtis determined by its ability to prevent piercing by sharp metal objectsadhering to the magnet 21 as it is withdrawn up the esophagus. The skirtmay thus also be fashioned from thin, durable, exible closely Wovenfabrics of natural, synthetic or mixed fibers of the requisite re-Sistance to piercing. Figure 2 illustrates the instrument of thisembodiment being withdrawn up the esophagus with skirt 23 serving itspurpose. With this in mind, the skirt 23 is most conveniently generallycircular as shown in Figure 4. When positioned as indicated above, theradial dimension of skirt 23 is at least sufficient to completelyenvelope magnet 21 and metal objects 26 adhering thereto when theinstrument is being withdrawn. The waist 24 is circular, and of diameterno greater than bushing 11 or end portion 7 depending upon the methodemployed to assure fixed positioning of the skirt. The waist 24 isdesirably reinforced as illustrated in the section of Figure 2. In thecase of a rubber or other elastic skirt, this reinforcement may berubber of increased thickness, and the waist is then stretchablypositioned on the bushing or tube.

In my copending application Serial Number 494,325, tiled March 15, 1955,of which the present application is a continuation-in-part, there isdescribed an instrument similar to that of the present invention.However, the instrument of my earlier application did not possess meansas control line 13 for regulating the degree of curvature of the tube atthe magnet end of the instrument. When tension is applied to controlline 13 the end portion of the tube curves rearwardly as illustrated inFigure 3. By placing and maintaining control line 13 in fixed tension asby fastening ring 18 to a hook (not shown) near the cephalic end of body6, the magnet end of the tube in the rumen assumes a U-shape thusdirecting the magnet toward the mmino-reticular orifice. A marking (notshown) on body 6 at its cephalic end enables the operator to properlyorient and cause the magnet end of the tube to curve toward rather thanaway from the rumino-reticular orifice.

The instrument of the present invention will be more fully appreciatedfrom a description of its operation.

It has been a common practice in the treatment of hardware disease tofeed the animal a small magnet, which passes into the recticulum andcollects some or all of the ferrous materials present, thus localizingthe offending material prior to a rumenotomy. In some cases where theinstrument of the present invention is to be employed, introduction of asmall free magnet may be desirable, although it is by no means anecessary preliminary. As a general rule, fasting the animal for 24-48hours as far as roughage is concerned will favor performance of theinstrument. When the animal is on dry feed, 3 to 5 gallons of watershould be administered through a stomach tube in order to distend therumen and reticulum and make the stomach contents fluid prior toinsertion of the Instrument. However, when cattle are on green pastureno water is used.

A hard plastic pipe about inches long and of internal diameter greaterthan the external diameter of the instrument tube is placed in the mouthas a speculum and the lnstrument is passed therethrough. The animalshead and the speculum are held by an assistant. The magnet 1s positionedas close as possible to the terminal end of the tube as illustrated inFigure l for example, and the skirt is directed rearwardly along thetube. The magnet and tube are then passed through the speculum and downthe esophagus with gentle pressure on the body portion. As the dorsalsac of the rumen in reached, the tube will pass easily. When the exibleend portion of the tube, including the portion of the control lineexterior of the tube, is Within the rumen, tension is taken on thecontrol line causing the end portion to iiex into a U. Tension in thecontrol line` is maintained fixed at the cephalic end of the tube bysuitable means. With the tube in said position the retrieving line orcable is inserted, thus extending the magnet into the reticulum. Themagnet is retracted and then inserted and retracted several times inorder to sweep the surfaces of the reticulum and pick up magneticobjects. Finally, with the magnet retracted, te' ion is released on thecontrol line and the end portion ot the tube straightens. With gentlepulling on the retrieving line and body of the tube the instrument isslowly withdrawn up the esophagus. If the skirt has not already assumedthe position illustrated in Figure 2, passage through the esophagealgastric opening assures complete enveloping of the magnet and metalobjects attached thereto. As the magnet is withdrawn, the skirt, whenemployed, serves to shield the esophagus from the sharp metal objectsbeing recovered.

This technique, with due regard to its simplicity, has proved eminentlysuccessful on more than forty cattle thus far treated. The instrumentand its manipulation appeared to cause minimum discomfort to theanimals, and no serious after effects.

Having thus described my invention for removing magnetic objects fromthe reticulum, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details ofconstruction disclosed, since it is understood that changes may be madetherein within the range of engineering skill without departing from thespirit of my invention. The scope of my invention is eiined by theappended claims.

l claim:

l. An instrument for removing metal objects of magnetic character fromthe stomachs of cattle comprising a tube adapted to be inserted throughthe esophagus into the rumen, at least the insertable end portionthereof being tiexible, said tube having a perforation intermediate itsends near the insertable end thereof, a retrieving line within saidtube, a magnet secured to said retrieving line adjacent the insertableend of said tube, and a line for controlling the curvature of theinsertable end portion of said tube secured to said tube adjacent itsinsertable end, passing along the exterior of said insertable endportion, through said perforation, thence along the interior of saidtube toward the opposite end thereof.

2. An instrument for removing metal objects of magnetic character fromthe stomachs of cattle comprising a iiexibie tube adapted to be insertedthrough the esophagus into the rumen, said tube having a perforationintermediate its ends and near the insertable end thereof, a retrievingline within said tube, a magnet secured to one end of said retrievingline adjacent the perforated end of said tube, a control line partiallywithin said tube and substantially the length. thereof and means forregulating the tension in said control line adjacent the opposite end ofsaid tube, said control line being aixed at one end to said tubeadjacent the insertable end thereof, passing along the exterior of saidtube to said perforation, passing therethrough and along the interior ofsaid tube and being afxed to said tensioning means.

3. An instrument for removing metal objects of magnetic character fromthe stomachs of cattle comprising a composite tube adapted to beinserted through the esophagus into thc rumen, said tube consisting of atong body portion adapted to extend into the rumen and a short endportion more flexible than said body portion, said end portion having aperforation adjacent said body portion, a retrieving line within saidtube, a magnet secured to the said retrieving line at the terminus ofthe end portion of said tube, and a control line for regulating thecurvature of the exible end portion, said control line being aixed atone end to said end portion adjacent the terminus thereof, passing alongthe exterior of the end portion of said tube, through said perforationand along the interior of the body portion thereof.

4. An instrument for removing metal objects of magnetic character fromthe sto-machs of cattle comprising a flexible tube adapted to beinserted through the esophagus into the rumen, said tube having aperforation intermediate its ends near the terminal insertable endthereof, a control line axed thereto adjacent said terminal end of saidtube, passing along the exterior of said tube through said perforationand along the interior of said tube toward the opposite end thereof, aretrieving line within said tube, a magnet secured to the retrievingline adjacent the terminal insertable end of said tube, and a flexibleskirt secured at its waist about the exterior of said tube between saidterminal end thereof and the point of affixation of said control line.

5. An instrument for removing metal objects of magnetic character fromthe stomachs of cattle comprising a flexible tube adapted to be insertedthrough the esophagus into the rumen, a flexible skirt of thin materialsecured at its waist about the exterior of said tube adjacent theterminal insertable end thereof, said tube having a perforationintermediate its ends and near said terminal end thereof, a control lineaffixed to said tube adjacent said terminal end but rearwardly of thewaist of said skirt, said control line passing along the exterior ofsaid tube, through said perforation and along the interior of said tube,tensioning means secured to the opposite end of said control line, aretrieving line Within said tube and a magnet secured thereto adjacentsaid terminal end of said tube, said skirt being adapted to envelopesaid magnet and adhering objects when said magnet is in withdrawingposition.

6. A11 instrument for removing metal objects of magnetic character fromthe stomachs of cattle comprising a composite tube adapted to beinserted through the esophagus into the rumen, said tube consisting of along body portion and a short end portion more flexible than said bodyportion, said end portion having a perforation adjacent said bodyportion, a flexible skirt of thin material secured at its waist aboutthe exterior of said end portion adjacent the terminal end thereofremoved from said body portion, a control line secured to the endportion of said tube adjacent but rearwardly of the waist of said skirt,said control line passing along the exterior of said end portion,through said perforation and along the interior of said body portion, aretrieving line within said tube and a magnet secured thereto exteriorof said tube adjacent the terminal end of said end portion, said skirtbeing adapted to envelope said magnet and adhering metal objects whensaid magnet is in withdrawing position.

7. An instrument for removing metal objects of magnetic character fromthe stomachs of cattle, comprising a tube adapted to be inserted throughthe esophagus into the rumen and having a curvable insertable endportion, at least the insertable end portion of said tube being exible,a retrieving line within said tube and slidable therein, a magnetsecured to said retrieving line adjacent the insertable end of saidtube, and a line substantially the length of said tube slidable axiallywith respect thereto for controlling the curvature of the insertable endportion thereof, said line being secured at its end to said tubeadjacent the insertable end thereof, and from its secured end having aportion extending exteriorly of said tube and being movable relativethereto in a direction radially of the axis of the tube, said radiallymovable portion being at least as long as the curvable insertable endportion of said tube, said line for substantially the remainder of itslength being restricted against radial?` movement relative to the axisof said tube, whereby when tension is applied to the control line, theinsertable end portion of said tube assumes a substantially U-shapedcurved aspect with the radially movable portion of said control linebeing a chord of the arc of said curve.

